


Thankful

by cinderlily



Category: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-12-03
Updated: 2004-12-03
Packaged: 2018-06-03 04:53:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6597529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinderlily/pseuds/cinderlily
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Greg goes home with Nick for Thanksgiving.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thankful

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [Crime Takes a Holiday Challenge](http://www.nickandgreg.com/holiday/index.php). And for [](http://carolinecrane.livejournal.com/profile)[carolinecrane](http://carolinecrane.livejournal.com/). Cause she rocks my socks.

Greg couldn't find the words to properly express a Stokes' family Thanksgiving. He couldn't, because it was so chaotic that no matter what he said it would only be able to tell part of the story. And he felt that one really had to be in the thick of it to understand the true insanity. The kitchen alone was filled twice the total amount people at a full fledged Sander's holiday, and he couldn't even remember the last time that his family had actually cooked for a holiday. And the Stokes' cooked. The males, the females, young and old, they all took turns in the kitchen, and it was almost fascinating for Greg to watch.

And Greg did watch, for about a minute, before Nick's mother saw him and grabbed him into the mix. He felt a little anxious, but she handed him a peeler and some apples and he set to work with little to no instruction. He wasn't the best at baking or anything, but he couldn't see himself messing up peeling apples. Or at least, he hoped he couldn't mess up peeling apples.

He was shocked at how readily Nick's mom had taken him into the family. Nick had made it out to be that his family were the devil with his previous boyfriends, and Greg had walked in with his defenses high. He had braced himself, waited for the attack, and for the first hour or so Nick's mother had met his expectations. It took him completely by shock when. when he was sitting on a kitchen stool telling a story about the lab, she leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek and a hug. Since then, she had hugged him three more times, and was treating him like another son.

If Nick was as dumbfounded as Greg was he didn't show it. Nick had left Greg alone in the kitchen, going off to watch football, and it would have bugged Greg a lot more to be made into the wife of the relationship if Nick's brother in law, Sam, hadn't also been abandoned for the Cowboys versus whatever team they were playing against. He hazarded a glance over at Sam, who was cutting the apple's that he was peeling, and Sam gave him a knowing grin.

“The first Stokes' get together is always the hardest,” he said loudly. Greg anxiously looked around the kitchen, to make sure no one had heard, but no one seemed to notice and he felt able to breath again. “Don't worry, over time it becomes comforting. You picked a nice calm holiday, Thanksgiving is always easier, just one simple little day. Just be thankful Christmas wasn't your first holiday. They celebrate Christmas Eve, and Christmas day, and then the day after Christmas family friends come over,” Sam shuddered. “Three days of this, the first time out of the gates? It almost sent me packing.”

“This is calm?” Greg asked incredulously, and Sam laughed.

“Don't worry,” Sam repeated. ”Next time will be easier.” And Greg gave him a half hearted smile.

“Yea, next time,” he said, trying to suppress the fear that there wouldn't be a next time.

Greg had run out of apples to peel, and cleaned up after himself, hoping if he did it quickly enough he might be able to escape the kitchen and find Nick. He had never been a fan of watching football, really, as he always thought it was kind of boring, but he would rather be in close proximity to Nick then this far away from him. He had almost reached safety when Nick's mom grabbed his arm and brought him back in.

“Here, you were good with the apples, try the potatoes,” she said, giving him a friendly smile. And he wasn't going to fight it, because he didn't know why she was being so nice to him, but he wasn't going to do anything to make her stop.

When he was done peeling the potatoes he was set on the task of mashing them, and then adding spices and butter and making them into proper mashed potatoes. Then he kneaded the dough for the pie crust, and formed it into the crust. And he was pretty sure he was never going to get out alive, until Nick finally came back into the kitchen.

“Hey, G, what have you been doing in here for so long?” Nick asked, and laughed at the look he received from Greg. “My mom roped you into cooking?”

“I didn't rope him into anything,” Nick's mom came up behind Greg and put her hand on his shoulder. “He has been helping, and I must say he is a much better helper then some other people I know.” A ding came from somewhere in the kitchen, and she grabbed pot holders and walked away.

Nick laughed again, and looked back at Greg who was in the middle of putting the spiced apples into the crust. “You okay?”

“I thought the lab was hectic,” Greg mused.

“Come on, we can go watch the game. Dallas is winning,” Nick tempted, as if Greg really cared who was winning, or even know who the other team was. Greg shook his head.

“I am going to finish this,” Greg said intently. He picked up a thing of cinnamon and shook it over the top. Nick leaned in closely, speaking just loud enough for Greg to hear.

“You don't have to do this, G,” Nick said. “My family isn't going to hate you if you leave the kitchen.”

“Nick, your mother is liking me right now, I am not tempting fate,” Greg said, as if that was a logical response. Nick shook his head. He stuck his thumb out and swiped at Greg's cheek.

“Flour,” he explained, and Greg fought the urge to kiss him.

“Suppers on,” he heard Nick's mother said. And even if it wasn't for the fact that he loved Nick, he thought he still would have loved this family in all their cliched goodness. It was like they were the Norman Rockwell painting he spent his childhood wanting to live in.

*

Greg quickly found out that Thanksgiving wasn't just about the turkey in the Stokes family. They took it quite seriously, and he was fascinated by all their traditions. They began with prayer, Mr. Stokes thanking G-d for the food and family at the table. His family had never been much for prayer, and it took him by surprise when Nick took his hand at the table. He had almost pulled his hand back before he looked to the other side of him and saw Sam gesturing for his hand too. A quick glance around the table saw everyone was holding hands and bowing their heads, and he breathed again.

Then they went around the table and said something good that had happened to them that year, and Greg had stumbled out, “I was allowed to be a CSI,” and blushed embarrassedly. There were plenty of other good things that had happened this year, he just couldn't think of any when all of the Stokes family was staring at them. He hadn't even heard what the other people said, and felt like a complete tool by the time they were done.

They took a break for eating then, and Greg cautiously began to eat. He had never been this weirded out, never been the type to be shy, but he couldn't help but think that he was being judged by every single one of his actions. Nick was talking to his brother, and Sam was talking to his wife, so he sat silently in the center of them, looking at his food and contemplating his retaliation against Nick for this one.

Greg had thought that the traditions were done, but as the main course was dwindling down, Nick's dad cleared his throat and the people at the table turned towards him. A lump formed in Greg's stomach, and he didn't know why.

“This year, I am most thankful for the continuance of our families health, and for the time we got to spend together,” Nick's dad smiled, and turned to the person next to him, Nick's youngest sister Megan.

“I am thankful for graduating college,” she grinned and the table clapped for her.

His other sister was next, and Greg couldn't remember her name and felt awful for it, “I am thankful for my friends, my son James and for my husband Will.” She smiled broadly.

Greg was too busy thinking of his own thank yous to even bother hearing the next few people, and barely tuned into hear Nick's simple, “I am thankful for my family.” When Nick turned to him, Greg's brain went blank, and he looked at Nick helplessly. Nick smiled encouragingly, and Greg reminded himself to do something horrid to Nick later for putting him here.

“I am thankful that I could spend the holiday with your family,” Greg said, and knew full well how much of a kiss up he sounded like, but turned to Sam pleadingly. Sam began, and Greg let out a quiet sigh of relief.

After Sam was Sam's wife, and then it ended on Nick's mother, who smiled broadly at the table and took a moment to consider her words.

“I am thankful for my family,” she smiled. Then she took a moment to consider each of her children, looking from one to another as she began to speak again, “I am thankful that Meg graduated this year, thankful that Jen and Will could bring such a beautiful baby into the world. I am thankful that Amy got onto the force, and that Lynn and Sam have bought their first house. I am thankful that, while she couldn't be here, Maggie is happy and safe in England with her fiance, and that Tim has been promoted,” she took another pause, and looked over at Nick and Greg. Greg's heart did a funny leap, but her smile widened, “And I am thankful that Greg could come join us tonight. I am thankful, that Nicky has finally found someone loving and caring and special.” The rest of the table gave a huge, 'Amen', and Greg turned to see Nick let out a low laugh.

“They seem to like you, Greggo,” he smiled, and Greg could feel his face flushing.

“Like him?” Mrs. Stokes laughed. ”You better watch out, Nick dear, cause if you break up we might just chose to keep him.”

Greg relaxed, took a deep breath and grinned. ”You can have me.” He offered, and the table laughed.

“Now, who is ready for some pie?” Nick's dad asked, and the table cheered.

“See,” Sam leaned in to him, as the pie was being distributed. ”The first time is the hardest, next time will be cake compared to this.”

Greg's grin grew larger, and he sighed, ”Yea, next time.”


End file.
